"Inter caused us problems in the first half, opening up with Joao Mario and Gagliardini, so we struggled to close them down," Allegri said to Sky Sport Italia. "It's also true the biggest chances of the first half came from us giving the ball away.

"I moved Mandzukic to the left, Paulo Dybala played much better and we had a very different performance in terms of intensity and pressure. We allowed Inter practically nothing in the second half and we had several more chances.

"Matteo Politano was putting pressure on, so I switched the full-backs to make the most of our characteristics and cover where needed, pushing on the other. Cancelo struggled a little with Politano in the first half, mainly the transitions.

"We're working on Cancelo's defensive approach and it must be recognised he has improved a great deal.

"I asked with the crosses to avoid Milan Skriniar and Joao Miranda, to work on the full-backs who were less physical than we were in those roles. It was a good cross to find Mandzukic."

Allegri's opposite number Luciano Spalletti was left frustrated by his side's inability to use the ball properly, although he defended a quiet individual performance from captain and star striker Mauro Icardi.

"If someone takes the lead, of course it makes the difference, but we made too many banal and cheap errors," Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia.

"There was one moment where we burst away and got behind their defence, but we failed to get the ball to the forwards. That can make the difference, as we struggle to be consistent for 90 minutes.

"There is always someone who is too slow, who talks too much, who is careless and not on the same page as the others.

"Unfortunately, Juve are smart and we are naive. They have a way of wasting five minutes after a foul.

"Icardi did what he had to do, he ran hard and to be honest did far better tonight than in other occasions to track back and get the ball, combining with the midfield."